Games Worth Watching

It is refreshing to me to know that every 5th game is a game worth watching. Every 5th game we have a shot. Every 5th game we could see a gem. Every 5th game, we have the privilege of watching Cole Hamels.

As a kid I was too young to really remember Steve Carlton. I saw him on the back-end of his career. He was a name, but I didn't know why. I'm 30 years old and really didn't start paying attention to the Phillies or baseball until the 1986, when I was 10. In that year, Carlton was 9-14 with a 5.10 ERA, while playing for 3 different teams. Not quite the Steve Carlton some of my elders would remember.

But lucky for me, the Phillies have another pitcher with the ability to put up numbers similar to Lefty's in Cole Hamels.

When Schilling was pitching with us, it was a game worth watching every 5th day. Cole Hamels brings that same feeling.

Tonight Cole Hamels enters the game with a 13-5 record, 3.46 ERA and 150 strikeouts. With some luck, he'll hit 200 Ks in his first "full" season in the bigs.

I look forward to many years of games worth watching, every 5th day.

It's also yet another year where the Phillies will be playing "games worth watching" through September. Sure that's nice to continuously be in the hunt, but let's make the playoffs. Let's not accept mediocrity anymore. This might be the team that has enough passion to overcome the inept management.

PS - Chase Utley began light tossing. And Shane Victorino exited a rehab game with tightness in his calf. The Phils are holding steady, 4 games behing the Mets in the East, and 1 game behind the Padres for the wild card. Hang in there guys. You have Cole Hamels every 5th day.